Suicide Prevention: How To Talk About Suicide
By Michelle Lunger
DISCLAIMER:
We are not medical professionals. We are here to open up the dialogue for mental health. This blog promotes healing, but it is not a major mental health resource. If you or anyone else you know is struggling we are here to provide you with the proper resources. We know, asking for help can be scary, but we would be happy to point you in the right direction. If you are nervous about reaching out to a crisis hotline and you want to learn more information feel free to reach out to us. We are here for you. That is why we created this blog. This page is to provide you with universal resources and ways to educate yourself and others.
Suicide prevention starts with being comfortable enough to talk about mental illness and suicide. To do this, we encourage you to talk to someone and in a space without judgment- from both yourself and others. Creating and leaving space to talk about these topics opens the door to de-stigmatizing mental illness and the conversation surrounding suicide. These stories let people know that there is hope and help out there, that they are not alone, and that healing is possible. However, there is a safe way to talk about your story and share experiences about suicide and mental illness. Suicide is a sensitive topic and can be a trigger for some groups. Our goal is not to trigger anyone but to help encourage a safe space where you can openly talk about your experience. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a great resource to educate yourself and others about suicide. They also share great tips regarding how to talk about suicide safely. Here are some safe story-telling guidelines from AFSP that we highly recommend you look over:
We hope this blog post was helpful. Remember if you decide to talk about suicide and share your experience that there is a way to do it safely. Refer to this post when you decide you are ready to openly talk about your experience. And don’t forget that you are not alone. There is hope and healing is possible.
AFSP:
Share your story:
https://afsp.org/sharingyourstory
Check out our recent blog post about AFSP to learn more:
Suicide: Signs, Risks, and Warning Signs blog:
https://www.rideethewave.com/blog-1/suicide-prevention-signs-risks-and-resources
Resources:
